Logos: Fear Not! Be Strong and Courageous

Rev Marcus Tan

This morning even as you celebrate your 35th Anniversary, I want to tell you a little bit about how TOP started.

In the beginning of 1978 at Lebuhraya Besi we met at a house and Pastor Eng Lian said God is going to do something special.

And this was the verse, Psalms 107:9 for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Where it all started...humble beginnings at Lebuhraya Besi.

With that she went around the neighbourhood to witness. And from Convent Greenlane, 3 students attended her bible study.

She went back to bible school and some of us had to take over and two of them, Pastor Ruth and Bro Chong Boon are here with us today. And all those that started there, about 7 of them that started at TOP, all went to bible school. TOP was small then but were powerful. Since then TOP has started Hiding Place and also TOG, Tabernacle of Grace, also a vibrant church.

We want to show you a little clip of Pastor Eng Lian.

If you look at the video, she said to support all the work of God. If you want to do the renovation, do it. Support your pastor, support your leaders. When she started there was nothing. No aircon, no chairs, no tables. She just had a vision and she did it. When God give you that leading He will also give you that help.

At that time, TOP grew by leaps and bound and the churches in KL even came to find out how TOP grew so fast. In a short time we had 200 and a that time even Calvary was only numbering about 400.

TOP started with a vision, with an idea. She started with the idea of a lighthouse. That became the TOP logo. And it must shine. When TOP grow, there will be trials and opposition. This house after only 3 months can seat about 30 and at that time the fan dropped from the ceiling but no one was hurt. Imagine a fan with spinning blades came crashing down. You would imagine heads rolling everywhere. It was a miracle even as we faced opposition from the devil. God's angels were watching us.

When I came I teared seeing how TOP has grown. But there is more in store for TOP. Let's take a few minutes to thank the Lord before I deliver the message.

Penang First started TOP but it was TOP that grew the fastest and biggest. A healthy church always grow the fastest. And I find there is a kindred spirit between me and Pastor Gideon. His mother is still with Penang First and his father too was there at the beginning. Way back in the fifties and sixties.

When we heard that he was coming, we were rejoicing because we knew he was the right person. Amen! I want to thank God for every remembrance of you.

I am going to title my message Fear not! Be strong and courageous.

Joshua 1:1-5
The Lord Commands Joshua
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them –to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates –all the Hittite country–to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

It is a new season. What is ahead of you, you don't know. Just as how God spoke to the people of Moses. It's a new season. Get ready. Get ready for what God has prepared for your church.

Eccl 3:1
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

God has got a promise for you. The Israelites were slaves. Any of your Indonesian maids or Cambodian or Filipino maids own land here? But God promise them land. Between land and house which would you want? Land? I want both. God said I will give you the land. Therefore we must learn to dare to ask.

Joshua 1:2
2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them — to the Israelites.

Psalms 2:8
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

Hudson Taylor asked for China and God gave china to Hudson Taylor.
William Carey asked for India and God gave India to William Carey.
Adinoram Judson asked for Burma and God gave Burma to him.
John Knox said to God "Give me Scotland, else I die" and God gave Scotland to John Knox.
John Hide asked for Punjab, and God gave him Punjab.

Josh 1:4
4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west.

All of them asked for nations. TOP what are you going to ask God for? Many a times we ask for small things. God please have our aircon work well (laughs). Nothing wrong with that but if you want big things, you need to ask big. I will tell you why the aircon is down. Yesterday it was raining non stop and last night I had a running nose. So I tell the devil to get behind me because I have a message for TOP so the aircon has to be down a notch so that I can preached (more laughs).

Sometimes we think that miracles happened a long time ago and no longer happens today. That's not true. There is this man who went to Punjab named john Hyde. He prayed for souls in Punjab or else I die, just like John Knox. Your heart is left hand side or right hand side? It's left hand side. That's why we wear our ring on the left hand side. But when they operate on him his heart is on the right hand side. Google him and find out more. He prayed until his heart moved from the left to the right. Prayer is hard work.

Those days, Saturday after Saturday TOP prayed for 4-5 hours and that's why we are reaping the revival at TOP. Revival swept over Punjab.

We need to ask for nations.

Psalms 2:8
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

The Koreans and China asked for revival and God poured out His Spirit to these land. The Holy Spirit no need to apply for visa or a passport. The Spirit of God will move over the entire earth. When TOP ask for Penang, God will give Penang to TOP. When you ask for Butterworth, God will give Butterworth to TOP. If you ask for Malaysia, God will give you Malaysia and even the nations.

TOP's influence will be far reaching. TOP, your influence will be great over civilisations. Your influence will also cover the Hittite country. Who are the Hittites? There are the enemy grounds. They are called the "sons of terror". Not too long ago we keep hearing how one bullet can kill you in your car. When you read news like that it puts fear in your heart. Even as they are promised the promise land they are confronted by the sons of terror.

Genesis 15:19-21
the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”

Canaanites : Shame
Hittites : Fear& Terror
Hivites : Depression
Perizzites : No boundaries
Gergashites : Deception
Amorites : Pride/Rebellion
Jebusites : Oppression

When we move forward we will be confronted by these enemies but greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. No one will be able to stand up to you. We fall but we come up again. We fall but we come up again. We fall but we come up again. We fall but we come up again. We fall but we come up again. The steps of the good man is ordered by the Lord and he will not be cast down.

We are not forsaken. God says that we are not to be afraid. God had not given us a spirit of fear.

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
If you do not have these quality when you face the enemy you will be defeated. But if you have these you will not easily be defeated.

In the name of Jesus I come against these fears. In the name of Jesus I reject that. Fear of sickness, fear of a wandering husband, fear of bankruptcy etc, I reject that. Some of us allows fear to drive our life. Night and day we live in fear. Fear is not from God. Do not be afraid. Even when you do the renovation do not be afraid there is no money. God will provide. God wants to bless us with prosperity and success. Every church has problems. Big church, big problems. Small church small problems. At Penang First, we are raising 5 Million, so we have a 5 million dollar problem.

From where do we get the secret of success. The bible can change life, society and nations. The whole world. Go after the bible. The secret is found in the word of God. Not Feng Sui or all the counting of beads. It is the word of God in your heart and your mind. Say amen to that.

There was this man who was staying in a condo beside Gurney Plaza. The wife accepted the Lord, and she asked me to remove all the idols in the house. When I went I saw all kinds of crystals in the house. I said "this is your husbands things and he is the head of the house. I can remove the idols but I cannot remove these other things". I told her to move the things to a room. Three days later I received a lawyer letter. But I told him I did not remove your things, just moved them to a room. I was shaking as I have not received a lawyer's letter before.

I asked a senior lawyer in my church about this and he said do not reply it. I said cannot, what if the police come and catch me in the middle of my service? He said no need to reply this is just a RM50 letter. I asked the wife what happened? She said the husband believed these crystals will give him prosperity and when he came back he got very angry when things were moved. They are placed strategically at different places in the house. The word is Chi. That's why people wear all these because they want prosperity.

Fast forward. This man is an accountant. He divorced his wife and then he got cancer became skinny, literally skin and bones and I heard about it. I went to the hospital to see him. I asked if he recognised me. I asked if he wants to know Jesus, he said yes. I led him in the sinners prayer. Only skin and bones but he accepted Jesus. It is God's will to give you prosperity and success. But it is in His word.

Joshua 1:5
5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Romans 8:31
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:8
8 ... For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Isaiah 55:11
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for
which I sent it.

His word will proper you. Your marriage. Your business. Your church. His word will prosper Penang. Amen. How powerful is His word. I want you to look at some of these pictures.

What is the Word of God?

Good for the Champion.
Your armour
Your weapon
Your GPS
God’s Blueprint for His kingdom
Your Training Manual
Your Management Handbook
Your Financial Handbook
Your Resource Handbook
Your Problem-solving Handbook
Your Multiplication / Expansion Manual
Your Evaluation Sheet
Your Devotional / Inspirational / Motivational Reading

Your Miracle Book

Save
Heal
Deliver
Transform
Prosper
Success
Generational Blessing

England gave us the bible and became very great. Today England forsake the bible so England is going down. America gave us missionaries. And America became no. 1. But today America forsake God and today America is going down. Brazil honoured God and see how Brazil prospered.

North Korea and South Korea. What's the difference. South Korea has got Samsung, LG, Hyundai, KIA, Gold Star! Look at the nations from the satellites. What's the difference.

That's because they believed in God. Your life can be like North Korea or South Korea. The Korean Peninsula is just a small land. The border is just a small area but when South Korea honour God, God prospers them.

Joshua 1:8
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

You cannot have both, you have to chose one. Your choice will lead to consequences. Like North Korea or South Korea, vibrant and prosperous. The biggest AOG church is found in Korea. Recently there is a bigger church in Africa. All the biggest churches are not found in America or England. They are found in Korea. Amen. You need to make choice.

Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”